HYDERABAD: As many as 15 stations in Telangana under the South Central Railways (SCR), including Secunderabad, Hyderabad and Kacheguda, are set to be redeveloped by the Union Ministry of Railways through models such as PPP.
According to information procured by Express, the other stations set to be redeveloped are Nizamabad, Kazipet, Manchiryal, Ramagundam, Bhadrachalam Road, Mahabubabad, Begumpet, Tandur, Vikarabad, Warangal, Khammam and Lingampalli.
Work for this is likely to be taken up by the Ministry of Railways through the Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation (IRSDC). However, the Railway Ministry could also designate the project to the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) and Zonal Railways.
The Secunderabad Railway Station has already been handed over to the IRSDC under the PPP model. SCR sources said IRSDC has sought details like a priority-based list of stations from passengers’ point of view, and stations that have surplus land with greater scope for redevelopment.
An SCR official said under this project, the facade of the Secunderabad Railway Station would be redesigned to reflect local architecture, a waiting hall with proper facilities would be built, and even a mall could be planned within the premises.
A few days ago in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal, in response to a question on the renovation of stations in the State, said, “Ministry of Railways, through various agencies, is undertaking techno-economic studies of railway stations, including those stations located in the State of Telangana.”
In total, 56 railway stations within the SCR zone will be renovated. The ones that are in Telangana include Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Kacheguda, Kazipet, Begumpet, Khammam, Lingampalli, Tandur, Nizamabad, Mancherial, and Bhadrachalam Road.
“Presently, redevelopment work is in progress at Gandhinagar and Habibganj stations. Contracts for redevelopment have been awarded for Gomtinagar, Charbagh and Puducherry stations,” Goyal said, adding that there are no earmarked funds for this redevelopment scheme because the ministry leverages vacant land/air space in and around stations for commercial development.